Cabinet having a retractible bed



Feb. 22, 1966 w NYSTRQM 3,235,888

CABINET HAVING A RETRACTIBLE BED Filed Oct. 25, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 1.

Elmer W. Nysfrom 1N VENTOR.

Feb. 22, 1966 E. w. NYSTROM 3,235,888

CABINET HAVING A RETRACTIBLE BED Filed Oct. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4s'i'y Elmer W. Nysfram I INVENTOR.

" 24 1117 BY W -MM United States Patent O 3,235,888 CABINET HAVING A RETRACTIBLE BED Elmer W. Nystrom, Rte. 3, Box 272, Hot Springs, Ark. Filed Oct. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 146,847 13 Claims. (Cl. -2)

This invention relates to a novel and useful cabinet type of furniture piece having a retractible bed disposed therein.

While the retractible bed is illustrated and described herein as being retractible into a hidden position within the lower portion of a cabinet, it is to be understood that the retractible bed may be utilized in connection with any suitable type of recess defining means defining an opening approximately the size and shape of the plan area of a bed.

The cabinet having a retractible bed of the instant invention includes opposite upstanding side walls which are interconnected at their rear edges by means of a rear wall. An opening is defined between the forward edges of the opposite side walls and a closure cover comprising a panel-like member is provided with one side face thereof having simulated drawers and cabinet doors doors formed thereon. When the retractible bed of the instant invention is hidden, the closure cover or panel gives the illusion of a plurality of drawings and/ or cabinet doors being carried by the lower portion of the cabinet.

The closure cover is mounted between the upstanding opposite side walls of the lower portion of the cabinet for movement between a normal upstanding retracted position closing the opening formed between the side walls and an extended generally horizontally disposed position with the normally outer side face of the closure cover facing downwardly and the normally lowermost edge of the closure cover elevated above its normal level and received between the opposite side walls of the cabinet. A mattress supporting frame is provided and is receivable within the opening and is itself mounted within the recess by means of a supporting frame which is supported from the opposite side walls of the cabinet. The closure cover is supported from the supporting frame and a pair of elongated leg means are provided and are movably mounted on that end of the closure cover which is extended when the cover is horizontally disposed and mounted for movement between retracted positions generally paralleling the closure cover and extended leg defining positions projecting from opposite side faces of the cover. The leg defining means projecting from the side face of the cover normally facing inwardly of the recess include means releasably engageable with the corresponding end of the mattress supporting frame for urging that end of the frame away from the cover. It will be noted that the closure cover is mounted on the frame for limited lateral movement toward and away from the frame and therefore that the leg defining means may be moved to the extended positions and utilized to directly support the weight of the corresponding end of the bed frame. Therefore, the closure cover is in no way utilized to support the weight of the mattress frame, a mattress secured thereto or a person using the retractible bed.

The main object of this invention is to provide a retractible bed for a cabinet that is pivotally secured to the cabinet in a manner whereby the retractible bed may be pivoted from the retracted position to the extended position without having a tendency to tip the cabinet such as is the case with most retractible beds utilizing a cabinet as a concealment enclosure.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a retractible bed for a cabinet which includes a closure cover that simulates a portion of and blends into the normal configuration of the cabinet and which is provided with leg means for supporting the extended end of the retractible bed which may be directly connected to the mattress supporting frame of the bed in order that the weight of the mattress supporting frame may be supported directly from the leg defining means and not by means of the closure panel simulating the front of the cabinet.

A further object of this invention is to provide a retractible bed and simulated cabinet structure from which the mattress supporting frame and mattress assembly mounted thereon may be readily disengaged.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a cabinet having a retractible bed which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully here inafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cabinet and retractible bed of the instant invention; I

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1 but with the bed illustrated in the extended position; Y

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to that of FIGURE 3 but showing the bed in the extended position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line s-s of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 88 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view similar to that of FIGURE 8 but showing one of the leg defining means in the extended position.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 11) generally designates the cabinet of the instant invention which includes an upper shelf portion generally referred to by the reference numeral 12 and a lower cabinet simulating portion generally referred to by the reference numeral 14. The cabinet simulating portion 14 includes a pair of upstanding opposite side walls 16 and 18 and a rear wall 20. A top wall 22 for the lower portion 14 is secured between the upper ends of the opposite side walls 16 and a lower base panel 24 is secured between the lower end portions of the forward edges of the opposite side walls 16 and 18.

With attention now directed more specifically to FIGURES 3 through 6 of the drawings it will be seen that a mattress supporting frame generally referred to by the reference numeral 28 is provided. The mattress supporting frame 28 includes four inner connected side angle members 30 and it will be noted that a recess 32 is defined between the confronting surfaces of the opposite side walls 16 and 18 and that there is a closure cover panel generally referred to by the referenece numeral 34 which may be moved into an upstanding position to close the forward open end of the recess 32.

It can be seen from FIGURE 1 of the drawings that the closure cover panel 34 is provided with a plurality of simulated drawer fronts 40 and a plurality of simulated cabinet door fronts 42.. Accordingly, it can be seen that when the closure cover panel 34 is in an upstanding retracted position received within the recess 32 that the cabinet 10 gives the appearance of being no more than a conventional cabinet.

With attention again directed to FIGURES 4 and 6 of the drawings it will be seen that a pair of stands 36 secure the lower end of the closure cover pan-e1 34 to a generally U-shaped supporting frame, generally referred to by the reference numeral 45 and including a pair of side mounting brackets or plates 47 interconnected by means of a transverse bracing member 49, the lower end of the frame 28 being supported from the frame 45 and the upper end of the frame 28 including a pair of stands 38 abuttingly engageable with the cover panel 34. By this construction the normally upper ends of the panel 34 and the frame 28 may be urged slightly apart due to the inherent flexibility of the panel 34 and the frame 28. Additionally, it may be seen that a pair of mounting brackets 46 are secured to the opposite side walls 16 and 18 by means of suitable fasteners 48. A pair of support straps 50 have their opposite ends pivotally secured to corresponding mounting brackets 44 and 46 and in this manner, the supporting frame 45 is suspended from the opposite side walls 16 and 18. It will be noted that the frame 28 is removably supported from the supporting frame 45. Each mounting bracket 47 has a roller 54 journaled thereon. Abutment means in the form of a pair of angle brackets 56 are secured to the lower portions of the rear marginal edge portions of the opposite side Walls 16 and 18 by means of suitable fasteners 58 and it will be noted that the rollers 54 are disposed in rolling contacting relation with the corresponding flange 60 of each bracket 56.

It is to be understood that the flange 60 of each bracket 56 may also be secured to the rear wall 32 if desired to provide additional bracing between the rear wall 32 and the opposite side walls 18 and 20.

A mattress 62 is secured to the frame 28 by means of tie members 64 which secure the lifting handles 66 of the mattress 62 to the sides 30 of the frame 28.

With attention now directed to FIGURES 4, and 7 through 9, it will be seen that the endmost simulated drawer fronts 40 actually comprise elongated leg means generally referred to by the reference numerals 70. Each of the drawer fronts 40 or leg means 70 is pivotally secured to the closure cover panel 34 by means of a pivot pin 72 and has an L-shaped angle member 74 secured thereto by means of suitable fasteners 76.

A pair of generally C-shaped latch members 78 are pivotally secured to opposite side of the closure cover panel 34 by means of pivot pins 80 and each includes a long arm portion 82 whose free end is resiliently urged to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 of the drawings by means of an expansion spring 84 secured between the long arm portion and the closure cover panel 34. When disposed as illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 7, the free end of the long arm portions 82 are received in slots 86 formed in the confronting surfaces of the opposite side walls 16 and 18 to retain the closure cover panel 34 in a retracted position such as that illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings. However, it will be noted that upon movement of each of the leg means 70 to the extended position illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings that the leg means 70 will engage the short arm portion 88 of each lever member 78 and swing the free end of the long arm portion 82 thereof out of the corresponding slot 86 whereby the closure cover panel 34 may be swung to the extended position. In addition,

4 it will be noted from FIGURES 5 and 9 of the drawings that when the angle member 74 is pivoted to the extended position its end adjacent the frame 28 and including cam surface 90 will first cam the frame 28 away from the closure cover panel 34 and become releasably and lockingly engaged with the corresponding frame member 30.

A releasing lever generally referred to by the reference numeral 94 is pivotally secured to each side edge portion of the closure cover panel 34 by means of a mounting bracket 96 and a pivot bolt assembly 98 and has one end portion 100 disposed for engagement with the frame 28 upon movement of the other end portion 102 away from the frame 28 to urge the latter away from the closure cover panel 34 thereby disengaging that frame member 30 from the notch or slot 92 formed in the corresponding angle member 74. Then, the leg means 70 comprising the endmost drawer fronts 40 may be pivoted to the closed position to again simulate a drawer front.

The generally U-shaped supporting frame 45 embracingly and removably supports the associated end of mattress supporting frame 28. The other end of the supporting frame 28 is provided with a second pair of abutment brackets also adapted for abutting engagement with the closure cover panel 34. However, when the leg defining means 70 are swung toward their extended positions, they engage the mattress supporting frame 28 and urge the latter beyond the minimum spatial relationship between the bed frame and the cover panel 34 defined by the abutment brackets and stands 110 and 38. Accordingly, it may be seen that the leg defining means 70 will support the mattress supporting frame 28 directly.

In operation, when it is desired to extend the leg por tion of the cabinet, the endmost drawer fronts or leg defining means 70 are pivoted to the extended position illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. This will not only release the C-shaped lever members 78 from engagement with the slots 86 and enable the front cover panel 34 to be pivoted to the extended position, but will also engage the angle members 74 with the mattress supporting frame 28. Then, as the closure cover panel 34 is pivoted to the horizontally disposed position illustrated in FIGURE 4, the weight of the mattress 62 and the mattress supporting frame 28 carried by the extended endof the closure cover panel 34 will be supported directly from the leg defining means 70.

With attention now directed to FIGURES 3 and 6 of the drawings it will be noted that the weight of the closure cover panel 34, mattress supporting frame 28 and mattress 62 is supported by the straps 50 and as the closure cover panel 34 is moved from the closed position illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 3 to the horizontally disposed position illustrated in FIGURE 4, a forward pull on the upper end of the closure cover panel 34 will have a tendency not to pull the entire cabinet 10 forward, but because of the rollers 54 engaging the flanges 60 and the manner in which the straps 50 are utilized to support the supporting frame 45 will have a tendency to push the cabinet 10 backward. Therefore, it may be readily seen that because of the manner in which the entire movable assembly is supported it will be unnecessary to secure the cabinet 19 to a wall surface against which it abuts at its rear.

Further, it will be noted that bracing member 49 also serves to support and maintain the mattress 62 in the proper position when the panel 34 is closed and the mattress 62 is in a vertically disposed position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the, principles of the invention.

Further, since numerous; modifications and changes will readily occur to those; skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to. the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and. iqpiva lents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with an upstanding recess defined by upstanding opposite side walls defining an opening therebetween and between the upper and lower ends of said side walls, a closure cover, means mounting said closure cover in said recess for movement between a normal upstanding retracted position closing said opening and an extended generally horizontally disposed position with the normally outer side of said closure cover facing downwardly and the normally lowermost end of said closure cover received between said side walls, a pair of elongated leg means movably mounted on the normally upper end of said closure cover for movement between retracted positions generally paralleling said closure cover and extended leg defining positions projecting from opposite sides of the outer side of said cover, a mattress supporting frame secured to and generally paralleling said closure cover with the normally upper end mounted for limited lateral movement toward and away from the inner side of the normally upper end of said cover, said leg means when in the extended positions including abutment means releasably engageable with said frame displacing said normally upper end thereof away from said cover whereby the weight of said normally upper end of said frame when in the extended position is supported directly by said legs.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes means securing said frame to said side walls, said normally upper end of said closure cover being supported from said frame.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a mattress secured to and overlying the side of said frame remote from said closure cover.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes means securing said frame to said side walls, the normally lower end of said closure cover being supported from said frame, said mounting means including a pair of support straps, said straps being disposed on opposite sides of said frame and having one end pivotally secured to the corresponding side wall and the other end pivotally secured to the corresponding side edge portion of said frame above the normally lower end thereof, said straps, when said frame is in the retracted position, being upright and 'having their upper ends secured to said side walls.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said recess includes an inwardly spaced upstanding abutment means disposed on opposite sides of said recess, said normally lower end of said frame having a pair of rollers journaled from opposite sides thereof and disposed in rolling contacting relation with said abutment means.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the normally uppermost end of said closure cover includes opposite side edge latch means releasably engageable with said side walls for retaining said closure cover in the retracted position.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said leg means each include means engageable with the corresponding latch means for releasing the latter in response to movement of said leg means from said retracted position to said extended position.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said abutment means each include means for locking engagement with said frame and means independent from said leg means operative to release said leg means from locking engagement with said frame.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said locking engagement means also includes means for locking said leg means in the extended positions.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said abutment means each include means for locking engagement with said frame, and release means independent of said leg means and carried by said frame for engagement with said leg means to release the latter from engagement with said frame.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said release means includes means for initially urging said leg means from said extended positions toward said retracted positions when actuated to release said leg means from locking engagement with said frame.

12. In combination with an upstanding recess defined by upstanding opposite side walls defining an opening therebetween and between the upper and lower ends of said side walls, a closure cover, means mounting said closure cover in said recess for movement between a normal upstanding retracted position closing said opening and an extended generally horizontally disposed position with the normally outer side of said closure cover facing downwardly and the normally lowermost end of said closure cover elevated above its normal level and received between said side walls, a pair of elongated leg means movably mounted on the normally upper end of said closure cover for movement between retracted positions generally paralleling said closure cover and extended leg defining positions projecting from opposite sides of the outer side of said cover, a mattress supporting frame secured to and generally paralleling said closure cover in overlying relation relative thereto when said cover is in said horizontally disposed position, said leg means each including means lockingly engageable with adjacent portions of said frame for direct support of the latter when said cover is in the extended position.

13. The combination of claim 12 including release means carried by said closure cover and operative to engage said frame to urge the latter from engagement with said leg means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 13,736 5/1914 Mulvaney 5-140 X 330,373 11/1885 Boyington 5-l67 X 360,894 4/1887 Madden 5167 365,348 6/1887 Muller 5167 X 1,135,593 4/1915 Libonati 220-43 1,170,149 2/1916 Gustafson 53l0 X 1,970,266 8/1934 Allerding 297-60 2,136,543 11/1938 Gammon 297-60 2,440,515 4/1948 Kelly et al. 5141 X 2,577,223 12/1951 Woller 5-141 2,671,230 3/1954 Potter 514l FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH AN UPSTANDING RECESS DEFINED BY UPSTANDING OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS DEFINING AN OPENING THEREBETWEEN AND BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS, A CLOSURE COVER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID CLOSURE COVER IN SAID RECESS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A NORMAL UPSTANDING RETRACTED POSITION CLOSING SAID OPENING AND AN EXTENDED GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED POSITION WITH THE NORMALLY OUTER SIDE OF SAID CLOSURE COVER FACING DOWNWARDLY AND THE NOMALLY LOWERMOST END OF SAID CLOSSURE COVER RECEIVED BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, A PAIR OF ELONGATED LEG MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE NORMALLY UPPER END OF SAID CLOSURE COVER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN RETRACTED POSITIONS GENERALLY PARALLELING SAID CLOSURE COVER AND EXTENDED LEG DEFINING POSITIONS PROJECTING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID COVER, A MATTRESS SUPPORTING FRAME SECURED TO AND GENERALLY PARALLELING SAID CLOSURE COVER WITH THE NORMALLY UPPER END MOUNTED FOR LIMITED LATERAL MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE INNER SIDE OF THE NORMALLY UPPER END OF SAID COVER, SAID LEG MEANS WHEN IN THE EXTENDED POSITIONS INCLUDING ABUTMENT MEANS RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FRAME DISPLACING SAID NORMALLY UPPER END THEREOF AWAY FROM SAID COVER WHEREBY THE WEIGHT OF SAID NORMALLY UPPER END OF SAID FRAME WHEN IN THE EXTENDED POSITION IS SUPPORTED DIRECTLY BY SAID LEGS. 